Device for storing two liquids separately and dispensing them simultaneously under pressure

ABSTRACT

Storage and dispensing device comprises a storage container for holding one liquid under pressure and a dispensing container in which another liquid is stored. The two containers are connected by a connecting tube along which one of the containers is axially slidable. Such sliding movement opens valves on both containers, so that liquid from the pressurized storage container is driven into the dispensing container, which is then separated from the tube and storage container and used as a dispenser.

United States Patent Morane et al. I I

[54] DEVICE FOR STORING TWO LIQUIDS SEPARATELY AND DISPENSING THEMSIMULTANEOUSLY UNDER PRESSURE [72] Inventors: Bruno 'Paoletti,Aulnay-Sous-Bois; Yves Hardouin, Survilliers, all of Franc [73]Assignee: L0real,Paris, France [22] Filed: Dec. 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.:98,359

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 1, 1970 France ...7()31762[52] U.S. Cl. ..l4l/349, 141/20, 222/136, I 222/153 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d83/14 [58 Field of Search ..141/20, 348, 349; 222/135, 222/136, 153

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1964 Monahon ..14l/20 XMorane, Paris; Charles 1451 Oct. 17,1972

. 3,1s1,737 5/1965, Chaucer s ..222/136 3,343,718 '9/1967 Siege]..222/l36X 3,169,670 2/1965 Hrebenak ..222/95 Primary Examiner-Robert B.Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Kocovsky Attorney-Holco'mbe,Wetherill & Brisebois s7 ABSTRACT Storage and dispensing devicecomprises a storage container for holding one liquid under-pressure anda dispensing'containe'r in which another liquid isstored. The twocontainers are connected by a connecting tube along which one of thecontainers is axially slidable. Such sliding movement opens valves onboth containers, so that liquid from the pressurized storage containeris driven into the dispensing container, which is then separated fromthe tube and storage I container and used as a dispenser.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED non 71912 SHEET 2 BF 3 DEVICE FORSTORING TWO LIQUIDS I SEPARATELY AND DISPENSING THEM SIMULTANEOUSLYUNDER PRESSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is often necessary to makesimultaneous use of two compositions which are incompatible duringstorage. In order to facilitate such use it is desirable to be able todispense both of these products from a single container.

It is accordingly necessary either to separate the two products insidethe dispensing container and mix them at the moment of use, or store thetwo products in two separate containers and introduce the contents ofone into the other just before they are dispensed. This problem isparticularly important in connection with the packaging and dispensingunder pressure of oxidation dyes for the hair. The use of these dyesrequires that, at the momentof use, the dye be mixed with a suitableoxidizing composition. It is clear that the oxidizing composition cannotbe stored while mixed with the dyeing composition without resulting indeterioration of the dye before it is applied.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device comprisingtwo containers each holding oneof the two compositions to besimultaneously dispensed. This device permits the contents of one of thecontainers to be transferred to the other just before they are dispensedand to then dispense the mixture of these two compositions from theother container under pressure.

The present invention accordingly relates to a new article ofmanufacture which consists of a device for storing and dispensing twoliquid products which are separately stored and simultaneously dispensedunder pressure, essentially characterized by the fact that it comprises,firstly, a storage container holding one of the liquid products underpressure of anon-reactive gas which is substantially insoluble in saidproduct. This container is closed at its upper end by a valve which isopened by depressing an outlet tube, said valve being provided .with adepending tube which extends downwardly into the container almost to thewall thereof opposite the valve. The device comprises secondly, adispensing container holding a liquid product which may or may not beunder pressure, which container is closed by a valve which is opened bythe depression of lateral inclination of its outlet tube. This valve mayor may not be provided with a depending tube which extends almost to thewall of the container opposite the valve. The pressure in this containeris always lower than that inside the storage container. The devicecomprises thirdly, a connecting member, to one end of which thedispensing container is attached and to the other end of which thestoragecontainer is attached. The connecting member is adapted to permitone of the containers to slide relative to the other along the axis ofthe connecting member. The device also comprises, fourthly, a spigotpositioned inside the said connecting member between the dispensingcontainer and the storage container, said spout being adapted to fit theoutlet tubes of the two valves of the two containers and comprising apassageway connecting said two outlettubes.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention one end of the spigot isconical in shape and fits over the outlet base of the cone positionednear that container. The

spigot is provided, near the storage container, with a projectionadapted to abut the wall of said storage container after movement of thespigot. The storage and dispensing containers are generally cylindricalin shape and provided at one end with a narrowing conical portionsupporting a cap on which the corresponding valve is mounted. This capis crimped to the endof the cylindrical side wall of the container. Inthe case of cylindrical containers the connecting member is cylindricaland fits around the dispensing container and rests on the conicalportion of the storage container. A removable safety ring is positionedbetween the connecting member and the dispensing container to preventpossible movement of the container inside the connecting member. Thepressurizing gas in the storage container is nitrogen. The storagecontainer contains an oxidationdye for the hair, whereas the dispensingcontainer holds a liquid oxidizing composition.

In a first variation of this embodiment the storage container holds, inaddition to the liquid product to be used, a certain quantity ofliquefied gas other than the insoluble non-liquefied pressurizing gassuch as nitrogen. In this case the dispensing container holding theliquid product to be dispensed is not pressurized.

When the user desires to utilize the device according to the inventionhe removes the safety strip which prevents movement of the dispensingcontainer with respect to the connecting member and urges the dispensingcontainer along the axis of the connecting member, the storage containerbeing held stationary at the lower part of the device. By this actionthe two valves of the two containers are simultaneously opened. Theinsoluble non-liquefied pressurizing gas in the storage container thenejects the product stored in the storage container through the dependingtube and the valve of the storage container into the passageway in thespigot so that it penetrates into the dispensing containerthrough itsopen valve. The initial pressure of the insoluble non-liquefiedpressurizing gas is adjusted so that when the storage container iscompletely emptied of its liquid contents, the residual pressure of thisgas is substantially equal to the vapor tension of the liquefied gasinitially enclosed in the storage container. As this moment the userreleases his pressure on the dispensing container and extractsthecontainer and its transfer spout from the connecting member. Thedispensing container then holds a mixture of the two liquid productsinitially stored separately and also contains the liquefied gas forejecting this mixture.

In order to dispense the mixture the user presses with two fingers onthe spigot so as to force the outlet tube of the valve on the dispensingcontainer inwardly or so as to swing said tube and thereby open thisvalve. When the valve is opened the mixture is ejected by the vaporpressure of the liquefied gas enclosed in the dispensing container. Itshould be "noted that the product thus ejected is in the form of a foamsince the liquefied gas is mixed with the two products to be dispensed.

In a second embodiment, the storage container holds only one of theliquid products to be dispensed, together with an insolublenon-liquefied pressurizing gas such as nitrogen. On the contrary, thedispensing container holds a flexible bag which is sealed fluid tight tothe valve of said container. This bag holds the other product to bedispensed, but has an inner volume large enough to also hold the productto be dispensed which is enclosed in the storage container. The flexiblebag is subjected within the dispensing container to the externalpressure of a pressurizing gas such as a liquefied gas. In this case thedevice is operated by removing the safety strip which prevents movementof the dispensing container with respect to the connecting member and bymoving the dispensing container along the connecting member to depressthe outlet tubes of the two valves on the two containers. This bringsthe interior of the two containers into communication through thepassageway in the spigot. The insoluble non-liquefied pressurizing gasin the storage container then forces the liquid product in the storagecontainer out thereof through the depending tube and its valve so thatthis product is driven into the flexible bag in the dispensingcontainer. The initial pressure of the pressurizing gas enclosed in thestorage container is such that when said container is emptied of itsliquid contents it is substantially equal to the vapor tension of theliquefied pressurizing gas inside the dispensing container. The userthen releases the dispensing container and removes said container withits spigot from the connecting member. The contents are then dispensedas before by pressing on the spigot to depress or incline the outlettube of the valve of the dispensing container. It should, however, benoted that,.in this case, the mixture of two products which are ejectedfrom the dispensing container is in the form of a non-foaming liquid,since the pressurizing gas is separated from this mixture by the wall ofthe flexible bag. It is obvious that if the wall of the flexible bag isslightly permeable to the liquefied pressurizing gas used, the mixtureejected may be slightly foamy. V

It should be emphasized that, in this device, the spigot is used notonly to transfer a product from one container to the other, but also todispense the mixture of the two products which are to be dispensedsimultaneously. A suitable insoluble pressurizing gas is nonliquefiednitrogen and a suitable liquefied pressurizing gas is butane or one ofthe chloro-fluorinated hydrocarbons conventionally used for thispurpose.

In order that the invention may be better understood, two embodimentsthereof will now be described, purely by way of illustration andexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a firstembodiment of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view in axial section of the valve of the dispensingcontainer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3-is a detail view in axial section showing the valve of thestorage container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a secondembodiment of a component of the device according to the invention,which may be used to replace the dispensing container shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings and especially to FIGS. 1 to 3, it will beseen that reference numeral 1 indicates the storage container which ispositioned at the bottom of the device according to the invention. Thecontainer 1 is substantially cylindrical in shape and comprises at itsupper end a conical portion 2 to which the container 1. The valve 4 is aconventional valve of the type which operates by depression. Itcomprises an outlet tube 5 mounted on the central projection 6 of amovable member 7 biassed by the helical spring 8.

One end of the spring 8 bears on the movable member 7 and its other onthe outer cup 9 of the valve 4. The outer cup 9 is generally cylindricaland its interior is in communication with the inside of the storagecontainer 1 through an orifice l0 and a depending tube 11. The removablemember 7 is biassed by the spring 8 against a sealing ring 12. I

The storage container 1 holds 60 cm of an oxidation hair dye to whichreference numeral 13 has been assigned. About 6 cm of liquefied butanehas been added to this dyeing composition. The inside of the container 1is pressurized by the nitrogen filling the space 14 in said containerwhich remains free above the space occupied by the composition 13. Thisnitrogen is at a pressure of about six bars. The total inner capacity ofthe storage container 1 is about cm. On the storage container 1 ismounted a connecting member 15 consisting of a cylindrical sleeve, thelower part 15a of which fits onto the conical part 2 of the container 1.The lower part 151 of the connecting member 15 is snapped onto thecontainer 1 along the edge of the cap 3 which carries the valve 4. Theflanges l6 provide sufflcient stiffness to enable the part 15a to holdtightly.

At the upper end of the connecting member 15 is a removable safety strip17 comprising radial flanges 18. The safety strip 17 externally gripsthe connecting member 15 to which it is attached by a ring 19. At theupper end of the safety strip 17 is another ring 20 which cooperateswith a groove 21 in the outer wall of the dispensing container 22.

The dispensing container 22 is substantially cylindrical in shape andcomprises a substantially conical portion 23 which leads to a neck 24,to the end of which a valve 25 is attached. The valve 25 comprises anoutlet tube 26 which is axially pierced by a central passageway 27. Thebase of the tube 26 consists of a cylindrical member 28 which carriesradial flanges 29. The cylindrical member 28 is positioned within a cup30, an annular space 31 being provided between the member 28 and the cup30, which space communicates with the axial passageway 27 through radialports 32. The cup 30 is biassed by a leaf spring 33 against the sealingring 34 at the top of the cup. The device comprising the cup 30 and thecylindrical member 28 is enclosed within the outer cup 35 of the valve,which outer cup communicates with the inside of the container 22 throughan orifice 36 and a depending tube 37. The dispensing container 22 hasan inner volume of about cm and contains 60 cm of 6 percent hydrogenperoxide. The dispensing container 22 is not pressurized.

Between the dispensing container 22 and the storage container 1, insidethe connecting member constituted by the cylindrical sleeve 15, is atransfer spigot 38. The spigot 38 is generally conical in shape. It isprovided with a bore 39 into which the outlet tube 26 of valve 25 isinserted. The base of the cone which constitutes the transfer spigot 38is near the dispensing container and the summit of the cone is near thestorage container 1. At the summit of the cone is a seat 40 adapted toreceive the outlet tube 5 of the valve4. The transfer spigot 38 alsocarries near the summit of the cone a projection 41 adapted to limit thepath of travel of the spigot 38 inside the connecting member 15. Aninner passageway 42 connects theseats 39 and 40 of the transfer spigot38. Guide ribs 43 are provided inside the cylindrical sleeve whichconstitutes the connecting member so as to insure proper translationalmovement of the transfer spigot 38 therein.

When the user-wants to put the device which has just been described intooperation, he tears off the safety strip 17, which permits thedispensing container to slide freely inside the connecting member 15. Hethen presses on the dispensing container 22 so as to cause translationof that container and the transfer spigot 38 within the connectingmember 15. This translation simultaneously depresses the outlet tubes 5and 40 of the two valves 4 and 25 respectively. The depression of theoutlet tube 5 compresses the spring 8 and the member 7, thus bringingthe inner passageway 42 and the outlet tube 5 into communication withthe inside of the outer cup 9 and consequently with the inside of thecontainer 1 through the depending tube 11 and the orifice 10. Thedepression of the outlet tube 26 causes depression of the leaf spring33, bringing the annular space 31 into communication with the inside ofthe outer cup 35 and consequently bringing the axial passageway 27 intocommunication with the inside of the container 22 through the orifices36 and the depending tube 37. It follows that when the user presses onthe dispensing container 22 this opens the two valves 25 and 4 andconnects the interiors of the storage container 1 and the dispensingcontainer 22 through the passageway 42. The pressure of the nitrogeninside the base portion 14 of the storage container drives the oxidationdye 13 mixed with the liquefied butane into the container 22 so that thecomposition 13 is mixed with the hydrogen peroxide in the dispensingcontainer 22. t

When this operation is carried out the user withdraws the dispensingcontainer 22 from the connecting member 15 and presses on the spigot 38so as to depress the tube 26 or swing it slightly to one side. Thisaction results, as has already been explained, in the opening of thevalve 25, and consequently in the dispensing of the mixture of theoxidation dye and hydrogen peroxide through the passageway 42 in thespigot 38. This dispensing is carried out in response to the vaporpressure of the butane, which has been introduced into the container 22as already indicated and, since the butane is mixed with the liquids,the mixture leaves the container 22 in the form of a foam. It should benoted that the spigot 38 serves both to transfer the composition 13 andthe liquefied butane which is associated therewith from the container 1to the container 22 and to dispense the mixture of compositions in thecontainer 22. The translational movement of the spigot 38 inside theconnecting member 15 is limited by the abutment of the projection 41against the cap 3 which carries the valve 4. The pressure of thenitrogen in the space 14 is so regulated that when all of the liquidcomposition has been driven from the container 22 the residual pressureof the nitrogen is sub stantially equal to the vapor tension of theliquefied butane.

FIG, 4 shows a second embodiment of the device according to theinvention. In this embodiment the dispensing container-22 has the sameshape as the one which has been described in connection with F1601 andalso comprises a dispensing valve 25 identical to holds 60 cm of 6percent hydrogen peroxide and the inside of the container 22 outside thebag 44 is pressurized by liquefied butane a In this embodiment theconnecting member 15, the spigot 38, and the storage container 1 areidentical to those which have been described and are illustrated inconnection with FIGS. 1 and 3, except that the storage container 1 doesnot hold liquefied butane. The container 22 is also placed at the top ofthe connecting member 15. When the user wants to place this device inoperation he removes the safety strip 17 and presses on the container 22as hereinbefore indicated. This pressure depresses the outlet tubes 5and 40 of the valves 4 and 25 which, as hereinbefore indicated, placesthe interiors of the containers 1 and 2 in communication with each otherthrough the passageway 42 in the transfer spigot 38. The pressure of thenitrogen enclosed in the space 14 drives thecomposition 13 in thestorage container into the flexible bag 44 in the container 22, withinwhich the mixture of the composition 13 and hydrogen peroxide takesplace. The volume of the bag 44 is sufficient to permit it to containboth the hydrogen peroxide initially stored therein and the com position13 which is introduced thereinto. When all of the composition 13 hasbeen driven out of the container 1 the residual pressure of nitrogen issubstantially equal to the vapor tension of the liquefied butane whichis exerted inside the container 22 against the walls of the flexible bag44. V

The user than withdraws the containerv 22 from the connecting member 15and'presses on the spigot 38 to depress or laterally incline the outlettube 26 of the valve 25. This action brings the valve 25 into an openposition and, in response to the pressure exerted by the liquefiedbutane on the outside of the bag 44, the mixture of the two liquidproducts within this bag is evacuated from the container 22 through thepassageway 42 t in the spigot38.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the butane which expels themixture does not come into direct contact with the mixture beingdispensed, so that the mixture escapes in a liquid rather than a foamform. If the wall of the bag 44 is slightly permeable to butane, it ispossible tonevertheless produce a light foam.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to store twoproductswhich may be incompatible separately in a simple 1 andinexpensive manner, yet

nevertheless dispense them simultaneously underpressure from a singlecontainer.

It will of. course be appreciated that the embodiments hereinbeforedescribed have been give purely by way of illustration and example, and'may be modified as to detail without thereby departing from the basicples of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a pair of storage containers for storingseparately two products which are to be dispensed simultaneously, eachof said containers being provided with a valve having an externallyprojecting outlet tube which opens said valve when depressed, and eachbeing provided with an external abutment, the improved means forconnecting said containers which comprises:

a rigid cylindrical connecting member having snap fastening means at oneend thereof shaped and dimensioned to snap over the abutment means onone of' said containers, and removable fastening means at the other endof said connecting member for detachably engaging the abutment means onthe other of said containers, said connecting member serving to holdsaid containers in a fixed position relative to each other when saidfastening means are in engagement with said abutm ents, but to permitsaid containers to be forced toward each other along the axis of saidconnecting member when said removable fastening means is detached, and

a transfer spigot slidably mounted inside the connecting member betweensaid containers, said spigot simultaneously engaging the outlet tubes ofthe two valves of the two containers and defining a duct bringing saidoutlet tubes into communication with each other when said containersoccupy said fixed position, said spigot being dimensioned to depresssaid outlet tubes and thereby open said valves when said containers areforced toward each other.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which one of said containers isa storage container holding one of said products under the pressure of apressurizing gas and the other is a dispensing container holding theother product under a pressure less than that in said storage container.

princi- 3. Device as claimed in claim 2 essentially characterized by thefact that the spigot is conical in shape with its base toward thedispensing container.

4. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the part of the spigot near thestorage container is provided with a projection adapted to abut the wallof said storage container after movement of. the spigot for a limiteddistance within the connecting member.

5. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the pressurizing gas in thestorage container is nitrogen.

6. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the storage container holds anoxidation hair dye whereas "the dispensing container holds a liquidoxidizing composition.

7. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the storage container holds, inaddition to the liquid to be dispensed a certain quantity of a liquefiedgas other than the insoluble pressurizing gas, and the dispensingcontainer holds the liquid to be dispensed under atmospheric pressure.

8. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the storage container holdsonly one of the liquid products to be dispensed and an insolublenon-liquefied pressurized d the d' e si cha ber olds a flex'ble fl 'd-12 t bag attadliza to he vzil ve 0t said disperising c rintainer.

l0.' Device as claimed in claim 9 in which the connecting member isslidable with respect to the dispensing container and rests on theconical portion of the storage container.

1. In combination with a pair of storage containers for storingseparately two products which are to be dispensed simultaneously, eachof said containers being provided with a valve having an externallyprojecting outlet tube which opens said valve when depressed, and eachbeing provided with an external abutment, the improved means forconnecting said containers which comprises: a rigid cylindricalconnecting member having snap fastening means at one end thereof shapedand dimensioned to snap over the abutment means on one of saidcontainers, and removable fastening means at the other end of saidconnecting member for detachably engaging the abutment means on theother of said containers, said connecting member serving to hold saidcontainers in a fixed position relative to each other when saidfastening means are in engagement with said abutments, but to permitsaid containers to be forced toward each other along the axis of saidconnecting member when said removable fastening means is detached, and atransfer spigot slidably mounted inside the connecting member betweensaid containers, said spigot simultaneously engaging the outlet tubes ofthe two valves of the two containers and defining a duct bringing saidoutlet tubes into communication with each other when said containersoccupy said fixed position, said spigot being dimensioned to depresssaid outlet tubes and thereby open said valves when said containers areforced toward each other.
 2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in whichone of said containers is a storage container holding one of saidproducts under the pressure of a pressurizing gas and the other is adispensing container holding the other product under a pressure lessthan that in said storage container.
 3. Device as claimed in claim 2essentially characterized by the fact that the spigot is conical inshape with its base toward the dispensing container.
 4. Device asclaimed in claim 2 in which the part of the spigot near the storagecontainer is provided with a projection adapted to abut the wall of saidstorage container after movement of the spigot for a limited distancewithin the connecting member.
 5. Device as claimed in claim 2 in whichthe pressurizing gas in the storage contaiNer is nitrogen.
 6. Device asclaimed in claim 2 in which the storage container holds an oxidationhair dye whereas the dispensing container holds a liquid oxidizingcomposition.
 7. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the storagecontainer holds, in addition to the liquid to be dispensed a certainquantity of a liquefied gas other than the insoluble pressurizing gas,and the dispensing container holds the liquid to be dispensed underatmospheric pressure.
 8. Device as claimed in claim 2, in which thestorage container holds only one of the liquid products to be dispensedand an insoluble non-liquefied pressurized gas and the dispensingchamber holds a flexible fluid-tight bag attached to the valve of saiddispensing container, said bag holding the other product to bedispensed, but having an inner volume sufficient to also contain theproducts initially held in the storage container, said flexible bagbeing subjected to an external pressure inside the dispensing containerdue to a pressurizing gas.
 9. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which thestorage and dispensing containers are generally cylindrical in form andeach has at one end a conical portion supporting a cap in which itsvalve is mounted, said cap being crimped to the end of the lateral wallof the container.
 10. Device as claimed in claim 9, in which theconnecting member is slidable with respect to the dispensing containerand rests on the conical portion of the storage container.